GRIMM FAIRY TALES PRESENTS WHITE QUEEN: AGE OF DARKNESS #1 Review

The Age of Darkness has descended and the four mystical realms surrounding Earth have since merged. Calie Liddle, Wonderland’s White Queen, becomes a pawn in the Dark Queen’s ultimate plan. Though she opposes those plans, Calie must do the Dark Queen’s bidding….if she wants her daughter’s life spared.

Wonderland enters the Age of Darkness!!

I’ve been anxiously awaiting this mini-series and boy oh boy the first outing did not disappoint! The creative team sets the tone early, as we see the troubles of Realm War in a land of madness. Its new monarch is stuck in a difficult situation but the time has come for, both us and her, to find out how she’ll wiggle her way out of this dilemma.

Joe Brusha and Ralph Tedesco work with script writer Troy Brownfield to spin this latest literary tale. The focus of this outing is the burden of rule in the wake of the Dark Queen‘s evil plans. The full hold she has over Calie Liddle comes into focus and forces the new ruler to make a difficult decision. The love between a mother and daughter is of the utmost importance to the story, and that’s what the piece relies on as it hits a striking tone but leaves plenty of room for humor in its tempered wake.

The art by Luca Claretti creates an almost whimsical atmosphere that seems rather fitting for a land known for its madness. Each page carries a Saturday morning cartoon vibe but maintains a level of consistency that exceeds that base reaction. Panel after panel is detailed just enough to compliment the character renditions while also making room for some dynamic colors by Leonardo Paciarotti. In short: the books looks great!

Grimm Fairy Tales presents White Queen: Age of Darkness #1 and man it’s good! There’s been plenty of fearful interpretations of this realm so it’s refreshing to read something that’s a bit different. For that reason, and obvious quality, this earns a recommendation from me.